Ultimate Force! Eight of the best E-MTB disc brakes in comparison

SRAM Guide Ultimate

The Guide Ultimate lever is a work of ergonomic art: the carbon fibre blade falls comfortably to hand, and the reach adjust control allows a full range of lever position adjustment. The lever also features a contact adjuster, allowing you to set the bite point just where you want it. The lever pivot runs on two sealed bearings and results in a very smooth action. To top it off, SRAM’s Bleeding Edge technology allows you to perform quick, drip-free brake bleeds. Like all the SRAM brakes, we found the pads did not last as long as others – and in the wet, they still merrily sang the warbling “Guide song,” but power was always there.

On the trail, the aluminium pistons with phenolic core provide a better sliding surface, with increased lubrication to ensure very smooth action. They are certainly not the most powerful brakes and did struggle on the steepest trails, but the intuitive feel and sensitive feedback allows you to exploit every Nm of braking force. SRAM set out to create the ultimate brake for MTB, and in many ways they succeeded – but for E-MTB, we would choose the more powerful Guide RE.

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